A rescue officer on the scene of an incident when a teenage girl had to be resuscitated after being caught in a riptide has said that it could have been a very different story.

The emergency services and coastguard were on the scene of the incident at Sea Palling. Picture: George Colman.

Two younger children were also caught in the riptide at Sea Palling beach on Saturday afternoon, with their father and the teenager’s uncle Darren Tortice having to keep them above water until the lifeguards arrived.

Bacton Coastguard rescue officer Pete Revell said someone could have been killed.

He said: “The teenage girl wasn’t breathing when she was pulled from the water but luckily the lifeguards who were there before us managed to resuscitate her.

“It was the first weekend of the school summer holidays and we had to scramble through everyone to get to them.

The emergency services attended the incident at Sea Palling. Picture: George Colman.

“The man was having chest pains and the younger child had swallowed sea water and had been sick. Thankfully they are now safe and well but this could have been very different.”

It’s almost exactly two years since a man in his 50s died in a riptide in the same place as Saturday’s incident and Mr Revell said the similarities were immediately obvious.

He said: “When we got the call it was like deja vu and it was happening all over again. Last time someone died it was the first weekend of the school holidays and the team were aware of that.

“It’s the worst incident we’ve had this year but unfortunately, it happens every year.”

The emergency services and coastguard were on the scene of the incident at Sea Palling. Picture: George Colman.

Ambulances and lifeguards were first on the scene to attend to those involved and managed to bring the teenage girl back to consciousness.

Everyone involved in the incident is expected to make a full recovery and the teenage girl has now been released from hospital.

Mr Revell pleaded with beach goers to pay attention to the flags and to attend beaches that have lifeguards.

He said: “We want people to go to the beach and enjoy themselves but please be aware of the flags that are on show.

“They will show you where you can swim and where is dangerous. A red flag means don’t swim there.”

A missing teenager was also rescued on Sunday from the water at Wells-next-the-Sea.

North Norfolk Police tweeted early this morning that the 17-year-old had been rescued from the sea by the RNLI crew and the Coastguard.

They tweeted: “Glad to report he is safe and well and back with his family.”